A few thoughts on that trickiest of questions ............ "How are you?"
Now don't you just hate that one?
It's the one they ask when they already know which church you go to because you spoken before!
The tone of voice often gives away what they already know.
What do you say? "Don't ask!" After all you may have been given a cheque for £1000 the day before, but if you woke up with a hangover - no doubt related, having tripped the evening before, broken your leg and spent the night in casualty - then "I'm fine how are you?" doesn't quite cut it
I often reply "It depends at what level you mean"
The look on their face says it all - "Did I ask you to go all post-modern / existentialist on me? I was just being friendly."
Replying "Fine, how are you?" usually does the trick, but leaves that empty feeling over the undisclosed cash crisis, that nasty boil and the feud with the in-laws, not to mention overlooking the broken leg! Although they'll be sure to resolve that with "How did you do that?" whilst pointing at the plaster cast!
It's those you haven't seen for a while who cause most problems. Like ......
The lady I'd last seen two years before at Ashburnham who said
"Oh hi, you're the Abbot from Reading Boiler Room aren't you. How are you?"
Answer that if you may.
or more frequently
"Your the guy who heads up ................ how are you?"
Even the very innocent
"I hear you've got a new Boiler Room" is tricky.
I mean what do they want?
A multi-page commentary on the whys and wherefores of Boiler Rooms ?
( Come to think of it they can see that here )
A copy of the "Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Universe" ?
But clearly not ...........
They were rather hoping for a "Yes its great, we've been in 'so many' weeks now."
Then of course there's the person whose foot you tripped over, just before they spilt their tray of drinks all over you that is (Did I not mention that?). The same person as it happens who said they'd rather not use up their free minutes calling for an ambulance (could have gone into the technicalities of that, but was a bit distracted - what with the pain and that) and whose car was too low on fuel for a lift.
They bounce up to you with a bright cheery smile and ask . . . . . . . . .
"How are you ?"
Think I'll stick with "I'm great, how are you?" and pray they don't follow through